Life's Lesson
by AnimeGir15
Summary: Rukia never gave thought to anything more than friends,boyfriend When she finds out the shocking secret of the schools loner, she is drawn to him In the time she spends with him he changes her and she changes him sad story about learning to lose & love
1. Chapter 1

**Note: I just saw the only romance movie that I love. Dear John. After that Remember Me showed which was alright but not the best, I swear other than Harry Potter that's the only smart thing that Robert Patterson did. I mean come on, a glowing vampire with trust issues? **

**Well anyways, I was thinking I want to do a combination of both with changes from my own lovely brain (LOL) into a bleach AU fan fic. So here I go. If it's not the best Review and tell me to change it into a one-shot but if I should continue with the story, say that. **

**I don't own Dear John, Remember Me, or Bleach. Sadly….**

Chapter 1: What Is Life?

Ochi-sensei sat down in her chair and placed her arms on the table in front of her. Papers that ranged from tests to homework all left ungraded. She looked through her round glasses at the class in front of her. Everyone was writing on their paper. Most plainly wrote I don't know while very few got it correct. Her eyes lingered on the orange head boy. He was finished and Ochi didn't need to grade it to know what it was.

A perfect grade, it always was. He had perfect hair, perfect grades, a perfect face, and perfected his scowl that was imprinted into his face. But this young man was far from perfect and the only one in the classroom who knew that was Ochi. She was told my him multiple times not to give him sympathy, it would make him feel worse but how could she not?

Shaking her head she allowed her eyes to cross the classroom to the popular crowd as they called themselves. The little girl with soft black hair was beating her brain for the answers. Her frustrated pout only made her more cute. Ochi had to chock down her snicker at the girl. She looked like a fourth grader who just lost an animal cracker and was racking their brain to find it.

The black timer on her desk went off and the class let out either a groan or sighs. Ochi let her smile show this time. it never got old to see their faces when they finally get the answer time is up.

"Okay Orihime do you mind collecting the tests?" Ochi asked. The well-endowed auburn headed girl nodded cheerfully and bounced up causing Renji, Keigo, and Hisagi to stare. They were all part of the popular crowd that included Rukia, Momo, Orihime, Renji, Keigo, Hisagi, Toshiro, Rangiku, and Ishida.

"Sure Ochi-sensei!" the way too bubbly girl walked around and picked up the papers. When she got to the orange headed boy she stopped and blushed. He didn't spare her and her breasts or mini skirt a first or second glance. He just watched out the window.

"Finished Kurosaki-san?" she asked in a seductive tone. Ishida felt anger grown within him.

"Whether I am finished or not it still has to be collected" he said coolly never averting his gaze from the gently snow fall outside. She nodded felling rejected and walked to Ochi and handed her the papers. When she walked back to her seat, someone tapped her.

"Yes Ishida-kun?" she said happy once again. She was a walking mood ring.

"Where you flirting with that Ichigo kid?" he said pushing up his glasses. She shuck her head no and smiled at hi,. He had a tint of read on his face. He nodded and tried to calm his blush.

Most of the popular kids dated each other. Momo and Toshiro, Rangiku and Hisagi, Renji and Rukia were on and off as the power couple of the school and Keigo who struck out with almost every girl in the school but still had hoped. Ishida like Orihime who knew this but just strung him along until she could win Ichigo.

Rukia pulled out her phone as Ochi sensei got her things together to go to her next class. She began typing on her keyboard and within a minute Momo, Orihime, and Rangiku's phone buzzed.

_**To: Ran, Momo, Hime**_

_**Subject: GUYYYS, what else would it be?**_

_**From: Rukia **_

_**OMG, that Ichigo may be a TOTAL hottie but what's with the attitude? Orihime, unless the guy is gay why would he do that to you? Who would ignore a girl with tits the size of her head? LOL**_

The girls nodded and were about to answer when the bell rang and they had to hide it from the next sensei. Right as Ochi bid her farewells, Chad walked in. In the beginning of the year, everyone called him Sado-sensei but he preferred begin called Chad. He was tall with black hair hanging over one eye. Although he could be a push over with some things, rules were not meant to be broken with him so the girls hide their phones.

"Good afternoon class." Luckily the easiest teacher was their last one of the day. He didn't talk much so he wrote on the board. When he began to write the class began to chatter.

"So Ru-Ru-chan what are you up to after school? Me, Hime, and Momo are planning on going to the mall!" Rangiku chirped happily.

"Sorry Ran, I promised my mom and dad I would go 'help out' at their hospital." She said with disgust.

"Why?" all the girls asked.

"Because they want to show me what I'm gonna be taking over when I'm finished college. So if I start earlier the better they said. They are so selfish! I mean making me give up my social like to go look after people who weren't smart enough to avoid accidents or falling out of a tree" the girls nodded.

After class was over Ichigo was glad. He could feel his body getting weaker by the minute. He grabbed his bag and slung it over his shoulder. Walking over to the door he was stopped by a short girl with amazing violet eyes. She had her arms crossed and wore a scowl _close_ to his.

"Who do you think you are?" she spat her venom at him. He remembered her as Rukia Kuchiki, one of the bitches that resided in the popular crowd.

"I don't understand and don't have the time to" he said walking around her. But he knew she wasn't gonna give up so easily. He could hear her follow him and prattle annoyingly.

"You know Orihime likes you but you just reject her all the time. Why would you do that? It hurts her you know! Just cause you look good don't mean you can go around acting like an ass and hurting people and pushing them away. That's why you have no friends!" she spat. At this point they were both at the train station. The empty train pulled up at the first stop and they climbed on.

Inside was clean and silver. The sunlight pouring in the large glass windows made it glow. Ichigo sat down and sighed. He was wondering why she was on the train with him. Usually she would go out with her friends or get picked up. Not that he cared or kept tabs on her.

"So why do you hurt people and push them away?" she said after about ten minutes of silence. She was sitting in the seat next to him. The train had filled up and bit.

"Because I want to and why do you care?"

"Orihime is my friend and I want her to be happy"

"Then set her up with Ishida. He's pinning for her and he could keep the attention and bout her, which is how she likes it. So tell her to leave me alone"

"Orihime does not like the attention all about her"

"But is she every happy when it isn't?" before Ichigo could get an answer he didn't care about his stop came and he climbed off. To his dismay the midget got off with him. "Following me?"

"No it just happens that we are going to the same direction" she snapped angrily at him. He walked up the stairs and made a right. In a flash he used his long legs to get ahead and away from her.

Rukia shrugged it off and made her way to the main branch of Kuchiki Hospital. It was large and white outside. Inside it was airy and white with glass all over the place. She walked up to the brown table with Soi Fon the receptionist worked. To her surprise she saw Ichigo there talking to her. She leaned in and caught some of their conversation.

"Back again Ichigo, how you feeling?"

"I've been better" he said. "So can I go meet him now?" she nodded and he half smiled at her. Walking to the elevator Rukia walked up to Soi Fon.

"Hey Rukia, here to see your mom and dad?" Rukia nodded. "Well they're in their office so just go up there" Rukia nodded once again and waited for the next elevator.

When she finally reached the 14 floor it was different from the rest. It had crème walls and brown carpeting instead of the tile floored and hospital look to it. It was the top floor that held all the offices. Walking down the familiar hallways she came to the large burgundy double doors. Opening it she saw two desks. They were both about three feet away from each other and was neat and proper. Her mother Hisana sat on the right while her father sat on the left. She said orange head sitting in one of the three available leather chairs.

"Oh darling you made it" Hisana her older look alike said with a smile on her face. She motioned to the seat next to Ichigo who still hadn't looked at her. "We were just finishing up with Ichigo here. So is that all you'll need?"

"I know it may be much but we are willing to cut down the costs. It's hard enough on you and your family" Byakuya said to him. Ichigo had a smile that never reached his eyes on. For the first time, Rukia looked into it and saw beautiful amber color. Underneath that was pain and sadness. A depressing hollowness to him that made her cringe inwardly.

"Thank you sir, my father would greatly appreciate it" he said. After a moment of silence Byakuya picked up.

"Rukia he is one of your classmates right?" he asked looking at her. Rukia nodded her head in a yes "And you two are friends?"

"Not really, we don't really talk to each other" Rukia said. For some reason she felt a bit guilty about it but couldn't place why. Ichigo got up and picked up his book bag. He slung it on his broad shoulder and shuck hands with the older Kuchikis.

"Thank you for everything, I know my father could never be able to repay you. I should get going though, I don't want Dr. Ikkaku waiting for too long" Hisana smiled and Byakuya nodded as he left. When the door closed Rukia wondered to her parents.

"Isn't Ikkaku like a chemotherapy guy?" Rukia faintly recalled the bald man. She noticed the grim aura that took over the room. "Someone in his family have cancer?" Rukia asked. When she saw her mother let out a tear, all the pieced aligned. Rukia gasped. "Ichigo has cancer?"

**Note: if this continues into a story I shall have 3 running stories but that's okay. Review and I hoped you liked it! In the beginning I thought it was PRETTY clichéd but I liked the twist I added into it. In the fan fic there isn't any bad guys, or fighting. Just pure good old fashioned Sadness. Huh….i am gonna really try and make this a SUPER sad and happy romance story so beware. If you don't like that I would avise you not to read. But if you do read, please review! **


	2. Chapter 2

**I don't own the bits from Dear John, Remember Me, Bleach, and A Walk To Remember. **

**HEY, HEY HEY IS YOU ARE THE REVIEWER NAMED JESS LOOK HERE:**

**Ichigo is going through Chemo and I wanted him to have hair for now. It plays a part later on in the fic. : D hope that clears it up for you AND THANKS TO ALL 3 reviewers, I mean 3 reviews and about 6 alerts for only one chapter, I must be doing something right! 3 **

Chapter 2: I Hate Hospitals

Ichigo rinsed his mouth one last time and finally decided the stench of puke was gone. He raised his head up and looked at himself. He was paler than when he walked in and had lost tremendous amounts of weight. If he moved enough you could see bone poking through his not so tanned skin. In all honesty he looked like shit. Well Ichigo always looked like shit when he was finished with chemo. Leukemia was no joke but Ichigo couldn't help but smile a bitter smile. Life never favored people in the way he wanted. He was blessed with looks and smarts but cursed with cancer that would definitely kill him before he got a chance to use it. After a moment of self-reflection, Ichigo's cell began to ring. He shoved his hand into his pocket and pulled out the black device.

"Hello?" he asked in a raspy voice still sore from vomiting everything in his stomach. As a reminder, it began to growl for food.

"_Ichigo my boy how was it? I'm sorry we couldn't make it there with you_"

"It's alright you old goat, I'm 16. I think I can go to the doctors by myself"

"_That's the spirit! So I expect you to knock up someone there before you reach 18!_" Ichigo smiled. His father may have been an annoying piece of work but he still had high hopes that Ichigo would make it that far. They never spoke about that topic more than that and both Kurosaki men liked it that way.

"You pervert, I'm not knocking anyone up" he said half-heartedly before hanging up.

He turned around and walked out the hospital bathroom. He still had his book bag on his shoulder, jacket in hand, and both hands in his pocket. On his way down the hallway four figures jumped out from one of the doors. Well three figures jumped out and one walked. There stood Isshin, Yuzu, Karin, and Masaki Kurosaki with bright faces.

"Ichi-ni!" Yuzu said running to hug her older brother. He met her halfway and got on his knees so she could reach his chin. He wrapped one arm around the little five year old and kept the other for her dark haired twin. Karin waited a minute before joining the hug. "SURPRISE! You thought we weren't gonna make it but we did! You must be very shocked!" the innocent child said.

"Yes very" Ichigo lied to keep that smile on her face. He didn't know how long he would get to see her little face but he did know that every moment he did, it should be happy. That's why he never told them about his situation. "Karin I see you wanted to surprise me as well" he smirked knowing she wouldn't take that too lightly.

"You wish I cared that much" she lied. Letting go if his sisters he ruffled their hair a bit before standing up. He had to take it slow because chemo still hadn't worn off. He looked at him mom and dad who started at him with sad eyes and fake smiles.

"How are you son?" Isshin asked in one of his rare meaningful tones. Ichigo smiled at his father. These weren't the moments he wanted to remember. The moments he wanted to remember needed to be filled with laughter and joy. Smiles that reached the eyes and swallow the sadness the resided in him until his last breath.

"I've hand better days. You know, after emptying my stomach I could go for some pizza and the soccer game on in a bit sounds good too" Karin's face light up like their Christmas tree. Ichigo buttoned up the jacket he hand put on during the conversation and helped his sisters into their own, to brave the December weather out there. Christmas was in two weeks and Ichigo's birthday was the day after. The thing he loved about that was not double the presents, but double the memories. Although he would never admit it out loud, he wouldn't want his dysfunctional and delusional family any other way. Holding both Yuzu and Karin's hand he walked with his parents to the car. Since his cancer wasn't at its fullest yet, he was able to live home. But Ichigo knew deep down in his heart that the hospice still reserved a bed for him.

He gripped the little girls' hands as they sat in the car. They didn't know about his cancer. He couldn't bring himself to tell them. When the time came for him to have to stay in the hospital he wouldn't allow them to come. They were too young and he didn't want to be the cause of their sadness.

Pushing such thoughts away, Ichigo sat in the car and listened to his parents talk about everyday things. This was the way it should be. But why did he have this empty feeling inside of him?

After the conversation with her parents and they showed her what they do all day, Rukia's mind was on Ichigo. She figured out he kept people away and hurting them because he knew it would hurt much more when he…..passed. And she went all bitch mode on him for it. Just thinking about that made her want to find him and give him a hug. Though she would never do it, or even say it aloud.

She zipped her jacket off and stepped into her house. She brushed off some snow and hung it on the iron coat stand next to the door. Slipping off her shoes, she walked into her home. Letting pure feelings that were still unidentified take over, Rukia fished through a pile of mail junk in her room until she found the giant phone book. If she was lucky she could find the number she was looking for.

At first Rukia got frustrated to no end when she couldn't find a single Ichigo in the damn book. She groaned out loud. She turned back to the first page and scanned down from A. when she hit Abarai she remembered Renji. That's when she face palmed.

"I HAVE BEEN LOOKING FOR ICHIGO!" Rukia exclaimed out loud. One of the maids came in asking if everything was okay. Rukia said yes and waved her off. Flipping through Rukia looked down in K until she found Kurosaki. She picked up her cell phone and dialed the number.

Ichigo had eaten a slice of pizza before he felt himself get sick again. Excusing himself he rushed up the stairs to the bathroom to empty his guts out again. After flushing the puke down and using half the mouthwash she opened the door to see him mom with tears. To Ichigo cancer was nothing compared to seeing her cry. And he being the cause of it and not having the ability to do anything about it made it even worse. She sniffled a bit and he allowed her to hug him. Although only 16, he was still taller than her. He could feel her tears soak the hoodie he was wearing. Ichigo rested his head on her own and listened to the quiet sniffles.

Rubbing her back up and down, he repeated soothing words such as 'I'm fine' or 'everything's gonna be okay'. After a minute or two she calmed down and released her mother bear grip on him. Ichigo used his large hand to wipe the remaining tears on her face and smiled at her.

"Oka-san why are you crying?" Yuzu asked her mother. She stood next to her sister with Isshin behind them.

"It's nothing Yuzu, I'm feeling tired so I'm just gonna hit the sack" Ichigo reassured her. Noticing the paleness in him Isshin nodded and lead the girls downstairs. He bid his goodnight to his beloved mother and walked back in.

She stood there and watched. For all she knew Ichigo wouldn't wake up the next morning and there was nothing she could do to help. It killed Masaki a little more inside with every step he took to his room at the end of the hall.

When Ichigo got in his room and fell onto the soft bed clutching his stomach. He felt so much pain in him right now. He laid there and waited for it to reside. After a moment his phone began to vibrate in his sweat pants pocket. Pulling it out he saw an unknown number and answered it.

"Hello?" he said. There was some silence until he asked again. This time he got an answer.

"Uh…hey" Rukia replied. Why did she even call him? Sympathy?

"Rukia?" Ichigo said surprised she called him. "Are you calling to tell me more reasons why I should go out with Orihime because I really don't like her"

"No that's not it" she couldn't answer his first question because that would imply that she would have to know the answer. "I wanted to say I'm sorry"

Ichigo was taken back at her sudden confession. Wasn't this the same popular girl from school who couldn't give a rat's ass about him? The one he always thought was a short midget with anger problems but at the same time was incredibly beautiful. Once again he was startled at a confession but this time it was his. Since when did he think that Rukia Kuchiki was beautiful?

"It's okay I guess. We all have our reasons for doing things"

"Yeah and I said something that I shouldn't have when I had no place to. I mean I said that you push people away and hurt then and called you friendless without even thinking about the reason behind it. I know now that you did it to protect them from much greater pain"

"I didn't think you would know who Dr. Ikkaku was so I mentioned him allowed. He is only in when needed so I figured you never meet him" Ichigo said refereeing back to earlier that day.

"Why don't you tell anyone at about it?" Ichigo was about to answer when she cut him off. "I'm sorry that was bad of me. You don't have to answer that" she heard him laugh a bit and felt her stomach do a flip. What was wrong with her today?

"It's okay, I don't tell anyone because I hate sympathy. I haven't even told my little sisters yet. I guess I just was to be normal for as long as possible" Ichigo could have slapped himself. Why was he so open with her? Why did he feel like he could trust her? Why was that empty feeling beginning to fade when he talked to her?

"Oh that makes sense. But it would be best of you told your sisters. They are gonna find out sooner or later and it would be worse to find out when you…." Rukia stopped herself there. Did she really just bring up him dying? Cue second face-palm for the day.

"I guess, well I'm pretty tired so I guess I'll see you in school tomorrow Rukia"

"Oh yea sure!"

"Goodnight"

"Night"

They both hung up the phone and laid in their bed. As the night birds sang, both Ichigo and Rukia saved the number into their cellphones before allowing the peaceful indigo oblivion to take over.

The next morning Ichigo struggled to get up. He powered through and got dressed. Holding the railing he slowly walked down the stairs. When he reached the table he saw two tear filled twins running up to him. They were holding onto his knees and he just watched. His mother was being held by his father who had a grim face on. This was not what he wanted to remember. He would have picked the girls up if he had the strength so he decided to get down to their level and wipe the tears.

"Ichigo why didn't you tell us you had cancer?" Karin said trying to be annoyed but all that came out of her words were sadness. Ichigo was taken back and figured his parents told them.

"So I didn't have to make my last moments with you guys looking like this. If you cry anymore I'll go away and live in the hospital and stop you from visiting" Ichigo said half sternly and half pleadingly. The two girls nodded and began stopping their tear flow. "That's my little troopers" he smiled at them; a genuine smile that made its way into his eyes. He couldn't look at these girls and not feel happy.

There was a honk outside and the girls said goodbye to Ichigo and ran to catch their school bus. Alone with his parents Ichigo took a seat across from them and stared at their faces. He was saying, begging with his eyes for them not to cry. Not when he was still alive. He didn't want that at all.

"Son" Isshin started. "When do you plan on knocking up a girl for us?" this time his perverted smile wasn't on. This time his true meaning wasn't what he said. This time he was saying I understand. This time Ichigo smirked.

"Shut it old goat" he replied simply.

Masaki watched the two men in the house bond. The way they understood each other was beyond her but she was glad for it. Ichigo said his goodbye before picking up his book bag and walking to school slowly so he could enjoy the soft crunching of fresh snow underneath his shoes. He smiled at the crisp white blanket made of frozen water.

When he was seated by the window he watched the kids play in the snow as they walked with their parents. Instantly a sharp pain ran through his shoulder. He knew from the doctor that his shoulder was one of the main joints that were affected. He lowered his for head to the edge of the desk and closed his eyes. There goes the swelling feeling in his stomach.

Ichigo's head began to turn and twist. He could fell his brain pounding against his skull. He wanted so bad to scream out but he was in class in the middle of Ochi-sensei's lectures. The pain began to increase rapidly and before he knew it, tears slipped out of his eyes.

"Damn" he croaked out. He stood up and staggered to the door.

"Ichigo are you okay!" was the last thing he heard. The last thing Ichigo saw was the pair of amazing amethyst eyes filled with worry.

"Rukia" he said before giving into the painless black.

**Note: well I hope you enjoyed this. Please review. **


	3. Chapter 3

**Note: only thing I own is the plot like, enjoy. **

**Ah my lovely reviewers I LOVE YOU!**

**Jess,**** I love questions! Well yes there is some IchiRuki in here. And they wouldn't work unless they bicker. Well you find out why the know in this chapter!**

**...Last.**

Chapter 3: Bed Ridden

Ichigo's eyes fluttered open but shut back when the blinding light hit it. Slowly he opened it allowing his orbs to get adjusted to the brightness. He looked around and saw a large window overlooking Karakura. There were two chairs next to it, both empty. On the side he could make out wires, liquid is clear bags that he had no clue what was used for, monitors, and a bunch of shit they normally had in hospital rooms.

That's when it hit him.

He was in a hospital room. Ichigo tried to recall what happened and remembered the pain in his body. Ochi sensei called out to him and he saw Rukia's eyes. _Rukia._ Why was she haunting his thoughts? Shrugging it off he turned his head to see the door open and Dr. Ikkaku walked in.

"Ichigo I see you're up" it was rhetorical. Usually Ichigo would have a witty comeback in him usually around his bald head but this time he didn't have the strength to do it. He just mumbled something and looked at him going through his charts. How much more cliché could this get? "So it seems it was a spike in the Leukemia" he continued in a softer tone. "I can't say if it was a bit step in the cancer until the tests come back but while you were out we put you through some more chemo. And some good news there was some success in the stopping of rapidly producing the cells but, I don't want you thinking too much into it. It has happened to people before like this in their early stage like you but it got worse because they hug upon those words and over looked the precautions. Because of that their cancer got worse. So we still have more stairs to climb but this is a step."

"I never felt like this after chemo" Ichigo mumbled. His whole body felt like it couldn't move. He had no pain and was numb. He tried to move his legs but they felt like dead weight. It was like trying to move Karin when a big soccer game was on, impossible. _Karin…where's the rest of my family….I wonder if Rukia is here. Wait what do I care if she is here or not?_

"That's because of the drug we had to use on you to make sure you didn't wake up during the process." Ichigo was about to say he is always awake during chemo when Ikkaku continued, "If you were to wake up during the chemo there could be a chance for you to have a 'freak out' about not knowing what's going on. But you aren't like the other kids I had to work on, you would have most likely looked around and just let it happen. But I as a doctor had to do it as a precaution"

"I see" he yawned. "Can I see whoever is here?" Ikkaku nodded and walked out the door. Within the last peaceful second Masaki, Yuzu, Karin, and Isshin came busting through the doors. The girls had tears in their eyes while Isshin was worried to no extent. "What's wrong guys? I'm still up; do I need to repeat what I said this morning?" Ichigo said managing to sit up. Masaki fixed the pillow for him and he eyed her thanks. Talking was still a bit hard.

"Ichigo we were so worried! We got this frantic call from Rukia-chan and she was sobbing into the phone yesterday! We rushed over here but you were knocked out until just now! And I'm sorry we bout Yuzu and Karin when you told us not to. We had to tell them because Ikkaku called this morning and Karin answered." Masaki said as she took the seat next to him across the window. The twins dragged a chair to him and sat in it. Isshin also dragged his chair to sit closer with his son, while he could.

"That's okay, its better they know anyways. Wait Rukia called and was crying?" Ichigo asked finally processing what his mother had said to him.

"Yeah Ichi-ni she was here all night until her mom and dad took her home. She was really worried" Yuzu said. Isshin nudged his son in the arm moving his eyebrows up and down.

"So my son inherited the Kurosaki charm huh?" he said. Ichigo rolled his eyes and turned to face the TV that hung on the wall in front of him. He leaned his head back into the soft cushiony pillow and closed his eyes. Upset at himself for sleeping without warning, Ichigo sill let himself slip into comforting unconsciousness. This new drug was a real bitch to the body.

The next morning when Ichigo woke up he felt a better. His body didn't feel fully rejuvenated but he could move his limbs freely. Getting up he walked to the window and took a seat. He placed his elbow on the window sill and propped his head up against it. He reached over and grabbed his iPod he got for his 16th birthday from the side table and began to look through the songs. He began to listen to Dearly Beloved by Yoko Shimomura.

Ichigo was always glad that his mother bought his iPod when he was in the hospital. She knew it always calmed him and helped him through.

As the soft piano flooded the room he watched as the sun rose, casting it soft dance or orange and red all over Karakura. Ichigo always preferred sunset to sunrise but took what he could get. He was going to hear the results from the tests they ran yesterday to find out how the cancer was progressing.

Deep down Ichigo knew that it had gotten worse. His skin was a ghostly pale and he had lost almost ten more pounds. He smiled darkly at the sounds of the violins on the iPod. This always helped him through his hard times. The music expressed such nonchalance to life. A feeling of pure bliss and that everything was going to be okay. He raked a hand through his thinned hair and felt some of it come off into his hand. It was getting worse and he couldn't stop it. His smile faded when he remembered everything wasn't going to be okay.

Nothing would ever be okay for Ichigo.

A tear manage to escape his walls. He had never cried in the months he had his cancer. He was the brave trooper comforting everyone. He was okay with it though. Although he could have used someone to comfort him now and again. There went that empty feeling in his stomach again.

Rukia drummed her tiny digits on the desk. It had been two days since Ichigo had been taken to the hospital. She still found it weird that she couldn't bring herself to leave or stop crying at his bedside. Rukia Kuchiki was never in Kami's name close to Ichigo Kurosaki but now she found herself thinking about him 24/7. Rukia would see something big and think about Ichigo's height than lead into how he got that tall, then to how he go cancer, off to how he was doing which eventually had her thinking about visiting him.

Rukia felt a tap on her shoulder and turned around to see her boyfriend staring at her with wide eyes. it took a lot not to laugh at the ridiculousness of his eyebrows when he was worried. Why was he worried though? Was it about Ichigo? Did he know something? Why is everything about that blasted strawberry!

"Rukia are you alright?" he asked with his freakish brows still furred and his tattooed for head wrinkling together a bit.

"Yeah I'm fine, why do you ask?" Rukia then noticed that the rest of her gang was staring at her with the same worried expression. "What?" she asked all of them.

"Well we've been trying to call you for the past five minutes but you didn't budge" Momo said with the most worried face. Trust her best friend to look like Rukia was the one with cancer and not Ichigo. Whoa was she so wrapped up in her worried thoughts about Ichigo that she didn't hear people calling her name for five minutes?

"Oh sorry I was kinda thinking about something and spaced out a bit" she fake smiled and everyone relaxed. Well Ishida and Toshiro still had their stoic faces on but everyone seemed to relax.

"Good we were worried for a moment" Renji said before putting his hand around her shoulders. It was easy for him to do this because they sat in pairs and he was right next to her. He leaned over and pulled her chin to make Rukia face him before capturing her lips.

This wasn't the first time he kissed her. But this was the first time she didn't kiss back. And it was the first time Ichigo popped into her mind while he kissed her.

School finally finished and Rukia had hopped on the train. Since she hadn't kissed Renji back he pulled away and looked a bit frustrated with her. She ignored it. When they were walking out together and Tatsuki called him into a classroom and he told Rukia they had cleaning duty she didn't think much about it. She ignored it and said okay. She had made up her mind that she would go and visit Ichigo. As a friendly deed. Yeah, and friendly thing.

Now in the elevator to the 12th floor Rukia began to fidget. Nerves were getting the best of her and she tried her best not to start biting her nails. When the silver elevator dinged she walked out. This floor was for patients who stayed here and were monitored so it was very homey. She walked down the tile floors and looked for the room that was labeled Kurosaki, Ichigo.

When she came to the right door and knocked a distinct come in was heard. When she opened the door she looked around. In the middle was a bed large enough for two with the orange headed teen laying on it. On the side a few feet away were two leather chairs and a large window that stretched across the wall with a window sill big enough for someone to sit on. She saw Ichigo fiddling with an iPod and had yet to look up and see who it was. knocking a little on the wall he looked up and did the thing she wasn't expecting.

He smiled at her.

Rukia felt her stomach do a few slips this time and smiled back. Ichigo pointed to the leather chair and she nodded. Taking off her coat she put it on the arm rest before bringing it close to the bed. It was then she noticed the bookshelf there. It was filling with books from Shakespeare to Jack Frost.

"I didn't think you would come back" he said putting the iPod down on top of the bookshelf. He settled back a bit more into the bed and looked at her.

"Back?"

"I heard you were here the first night" Ichigo smirked his arrogant smirk at her blush.

"Well yeah…I was…just checking out if you were okay" she said. He noticed her trying to hide her blush but it didn't work.

"It's okay to have feelings for someone other than yourself princess" he laughed. She got angry and smacked his arm. He was taken aback by it. Not the hit, but the power behind it. Hoe could she hold such power in a tiny hand?

"Oh my god, I'm going to hell I just hit someone with cancer! I am so sorry Ichigo I didn't mean to, I just-

"It's okay princess, nice hit though" he smiled and she did too. "So when did we get on a first name basis?"

"What?"

"You called me Ichigo"

"I did, oh I didn't even realize, sorry"

"It's okay….Rukia" instantly Rukia felt the nervousness vanish. She could easily talk to him without feeling weird. She smiled at the way he said his name and relaxed into the chair.

"So you like to read" she said motioning to the bookshelf.

"Yeah I always liked to read. Gives me something to do"

"Favorite author?"

"Shakespeare and you?"

"Hn…I would have to say that Jane Austen" Ichigo scoffed.

"Please there are way better authors out there than Jane Austen. I bet you like Stephanie Myer too"

"What's wrong with Twilight?" Rukia asked taken back. In fact that was one of her favorites.

"Twilight is a story all about a bipolar chick who loves and glowing vampire and a werewolf that likes to run out in the woods with ripped jeans, no shirt, and a bunch of other guys. Need I say more?"

"Yeah, what do you think is better than Twilight?"

"Have you even _read_ J.K Rowling's Harry Potter or even S. E. Hilton's The Outsiders? Those books have actual plots that are going somewhere. They involve character with depth and real emotions. But since there aren't much books like that in our generation I tend to lean towards the renaissance time period for books"

The next hour was spent between the two arguing over who was better, Romeo and Juliet or Hamlet. Ichigo on Hamlet's side and Rukia on Romeo's. they went back and forth with their wit on the topic before Rukia got frustrated and hit his arm again yelling for only to him here than Romeo and Juliet was better. She was breathing a bit hard and Ichigo chuckled a bit.

"Whatever you saw Princess" he gave up.

"Don't call me that" she said crossing her arms.

"So what should I call you, midget?"

"How about Rukia?"

"Na, I like midget better" Rukia was about to hit him one more time when he flashed her a smiled and she gave in. she muttered a whatever and the door opened.

"Rukia what are you doing here?" Hisana asked surprised to see her with Ichigo.

"Oh hey mom" Rukia said.

"Hello Hisana, it's great to see you again" Ichigo said. "Rukia was just keeping me company. I do have a problem though" both Kuchikis faced him. "She has no taste in Shakespeare" he said.

"Geez Hamlet is NOT better than Romeo and Juliet" Rukia said.

"Rukia," Hisana said. She looked between the two and smiled. "Hamlet was a better read" Ichigo laughed triumphantly and pointed to her pouting face.

"When you're in college and doing Shakespeare I want you to pick Hamlet okay?" he said in a soft and still happy he won tone. Hisana bit her lip to hide the tears. He was talking about the future knowing he wouldn't be in it. She noticed Rukia didn't realize the underlying sorrow to his words and left it like that. Ichigo needed a friend and if Rukia was going to be, she wanted them to act normal. "So why'd you come Hisana?" Ichigo asked returning his attention to the older Kuchiki"

"Oh well I was going to say that you can leave today if you are able to"

"Really, so it was just like an attack nothing deadly?" he asked. "Well something bad enough to send me to the hospice?"

"No nothing for the hospice" she said with a sad smile. Ichigo nodded. "I called your parents and they'll be here shorty to get you"

"Thanks" Ichigo said. "So you should get home and started on your homework or whatever Ochi gave you guys since I'm leaving soon"

"Yeah, well I'll see you in school tomorrow" she smiled and was about to leave when he called her name. "Yeah?"

"Try to stop thinking about me so much, the bags under your eyes make you even less attractive midget" he smirked when her face flared with anger and embarrassment. She mumbled some curses and stomped out the room hearing Ichigo laugh.

When outside of the hospital and in the car Hisana turned to Rukia.

"You do know he's going to die right?" she asked quietly.

"Yeah I do" she said sadly. "Why do you ask?"

"You're sure about that?" Rukia nodded not understanding where her mother was going with this.

Hisana looked at her with pity in her eyes. It still hadn't hit her that the poor boy was going to die and when it does, Hisana could tell it would hit her hard.

**Note: Well they are friends now. *cues applause* has something bad ever happened to you, like REALLY bad, and the moment it hits you, your walls just crumble? Well now remember or try to imagine that pain. Oh poor Rukia doesn't know what's gonna hit her. OH OH OH OH OH OH! IF YOU ARE A TWILIGHT FAN I AM SORRY BUT I HATE IT. IF YOU ARENT A HARRY POTTER OR OUTSIDER FAN WELL I SUGGEST YOU HIT THR LIBRARY OR BARNES AND NOBLE AND BECOME ONE. If you don't like them then….WE ARE ALL ENTITLED TO OUR OWN OPINION!So this is my longest chapter like EVVER. I'M PROUD OF MYSELF. Thnks for the lovely reviews and see how up there, like ALL the way up there I answered a reviewers question, if you review and ask I would be glad to answer :D **

**Enjoy and stay tuned for Chapter 4! Here's a quick preview of it:**

_**Ichigo walked back into the classroom and was covered from head to toe with stares. Some kids began to whisper rumors about him while a red head with tattoos made some snide remark about him casing the boy with a 69 on his face. He ignored it and shuck his head at them before taking his seat. He turned to Rukia who was sitting next to the Momo girl. She turned to him and he smiled. She looked away quickly before continuing to talk to her friends. Ichigo sat confused at her actions but shrugged it off. Life was too short for these things. He smiled at the bitter irony.**_

**HAHAHAHA I already have started chapter 4 and if I get some reviews today…I might post it. :D**


	4. Chapter 4

**Note: Well Guys, There comes a time in life when you have to face the facts.**

**Fact: I don't own bleach, a walk to remember, or any other thing I used. (P.S we see A Walk to Remember come in during this chapter. You know the part when the cute guy told Janie he wanted to be secret friends and shit? AHH I GOT 3 MORE REVIEWS AND LIKE 8 ALERTS!)**

**Fact: I LOVE MY READERS, REVIEWERS, AND ALERTERS. **

**Fact: It's time for chapter 4!**

**Oh and things might seem like they are 'fast paced' but this chapter it just the rising action to lead into what's gonna happen as the main plot. It is just like a started chapter so yeah! :D **

Chapter 4: So that's How It's Gonna Go?

_Beep_

_Beep _

_Beep_

"Blasted alarm" Ichigo mumbled before he rolled out of bed and got ready for school. He buttoned up his shirt and ran a hand through his hair. It would be soon that his hair would fall out. Ichigo opened his closet and pulled out the orange cap on the shelf. In black letters it said Kurosaki's Rule the World. Isshin bought it at a carnival for his son when he was 6. Ichigo thought it was stupid because it was personalized but now he was grateful for it.

He would wear it when his hair began to fall out completely. Putting it back down he walked down the stairs to see his sisters' bus driving off already. He was a little late but didn't mind. He said goodbye to his mother and father before walking to school.

Ichigo walked back into the classroom after two school days and the weekend, and was covered from head to toe with stares. Some kids began to whisper rumors about him while a red head with tattoos made some snide remark he didn't care to hear about him to the boy with a 69 on his face. He ignored it and shuck his head at them before taking his seat. He turned to Rukia who was sitting next to the Momo girl. She turned to him and he smiled. She looked away quickly before continuing to talk to her friends. Ichigo sat confused at her actions but shrugged it off. Life was too short for these things. He smiled at the bitter irony.

"Well class, today we will be talking about….

It was lunch and Ichigo had just put the books he didn't need into his locker. Closing the gray metal door he adjusted the now lighter book bag that hung on one shoulder. Ichigo was about to turn around and walk downstairs when he was stopped by two seniors.

"Well if it isn't Ichigo Kurosaki" one with brown hair and boyish looks said. "The only out person in the school. I'd pat you on the back but I don't want to give you any ideas" he laughed with his silver haired partner before walking away leaving a scowling Ichigo.

"So that's why you turned down Orihime" Renji said walking up to Ichigo. He had Hisagi next to him and a smirk on his face. "Because you have to be a really dumb straight guy to turn down the second biggest rack in school"

"I turned Orihime down because I didn't like her" Ichigo spat with his scowl deepening.

"Yeah because you don't worship the cuhie shrine. Who knew Ichigo Kurosaki was gay?"

"One, I am not gay. Two, if I was how is it your business? Three, so what if I am? You like me or something?" he said. When their smirks were replaced with frowns he continued, "Sorry to disappoint but guys aren't my type and if they were I would never go for low life's like you" Ichigo finished before walking down to the staircase.

He hated it when people judged others. What's wrong with being whoever the hell you were? Was it their business to dwell on and make fun of someone who was not afraid of the damn status quo? No.

After shrugging off the urge to sock the two idiots, Ichigo went down to the lunchroom. As he walked down there were constant whispers about him being gay. Not taking the time to care he walked to the lunch line and stood in it. After waiting about five minutes he was finally there. He ordered the A Lunch Set and paid for it before walking back to his normal empty table.

"Hey Kurosaki, did you get a fruit cake with that lunch?" some guys laughed and high fived each other while Ichigo just scowled his normal scowl.

Rukia watched with pity as the guys made fun of him. She ignored him on purpose this morning. If her friends found out that she was friends with Ichigo her whole social life would go down the drain. If she was in his position she would have been in tears by now. How could he stand all this and his cancer? She would have used that to get them to stop making fun of her but Ichigo just sat there and ate his fish.

She shuck her head from thoughts of the orange haired teen and turned back to her friends. They were talking about something or the other involving this or that. She hadn't paid much attention until a certain boy's name came out of her boyfriend's mouth.

"So I started this rumor that he was gay for you Orihime. This way he could be out the closet and free to date no one! Also because of that text you got from Rukia, it has to be true if even my girl saw it" Renji laughed and Orihime smiled brightly. Rukia got pissed off, this was kinda her fault. "I mean you have to be gay to turn down Orihime, I mean look at her" he continued continuing to piss Rukia off.

"Thanks so much Abarai-kun" she said with a blush on her face. Since when did she call him that? Something told Rukia that this wasn't right. She shrugged it off and put on a smile. "So Rukia what are you doing after school?" Orihime said turning back to face the petite girl.

"Um…nothing really, why do you ask?"

"Well we were gonna go and shop for the Winter Dance this Friday" she said happily. The dance had totally slipped Rukia's mind. Now that it was bought up, all guilt about Ichigo and all bad vibes about Renji vanished in a jiffy.

"You should come too!" Momo and Rangiku said at the same time. Rukia smiled and nodded a yes.

"Yes mom?" Ichigo said into his phone as he walked out the school building.

"Ichigo, why didn't you tell me there was a dance Friday, the school sent a call reminding that there was no spiking the punch bowl"

"Uh…cause I was planning on not going" Ichigo answered

"WELL! I suggest you go to the mall and buy a suit because you ARE going okay" Ichigo sighed before saying a yes and hung up. When his mother used that tone it meant business and he was in place to argue with his mother. Ichigo walked to the buss and swiped his card when it arrived.

The ride was relatively short because he spent it listening to music on his iPod. When he got off he was in front of a large mall. The structure was large and had three floors with an endless fit of people rushing in and out of stores.

Ichigo groaned because he hated crowded places but decided to go in anyways. He didn't want to die at the hands of his mother before the cancer got him. He began looking for a suit shop when something caught his attention. In a unisex formal store called Fab held his old time friend. Smiling Ichigo walked into the store. Maybe he could get something here….maybe even at a discount.

"ICHIGO" a blonde man with a green and white striped fedora yelled out. He smiled and walked up to his orange headed companion.

Rukia was carrying about five bags when something caught his attention. Someone called out the name Ichigo, very loud. She saw the orange headed teen walk into one of her favorite stores. Rukia decided to go say hi to him and maybe she could get a nice dress in there. She looked around and saw that her friends went into the café and decided it was safe to go in without begin caught.

She walked in the store and saw rows or suits on one side and rows or dresses. In the middle were cushions to sit on with soft looking pillows. All the way in the back there was a long dark countertop with an orange headed boy leaning against it. Rukia walked up to the counter but stopped halfway. What the hell was she doing? Just as she was going to turn around and walk out someone called her name.

"Rukia?" well they sorta questioned her name. Rukia looked up and saw Ichigo walking up to her with a smiling man.

"Uh hey Ichigo" Rukia said nervously.

"Ichigo, you didn't tell me you finally got the nerve to talk to a girl after Senna-

"Kisuke, could you not?" Ichigo said. Urahara got the message, if Ichigo used his first name he meant business. He guessed the poor lad still hasn't fully gotten over Senna.

"So who might you be?" Urahara asked turning to Rukia.

"Kuchiki Rukia"

"Well hello Rukia, my name is Urahara and this is my shop. So you are looking for some clothes for this dance Friday?"

"Yes please" Urahara nodded.

"I'll be back in a moment" he said and disappeared behind a row. Rukia turned to Ichigo. She was very curious about Senna but seeing him tense up like he did was a big stop sign in that.

"So you going to the dance Friday?"

"My mom is making me" Ichigo said still a bit peeved about the whole Senna thing. That's when he remembered this morning. "So you sorta ignored me this morning, what was that about?" he said turning to look down at her.

"Oh that, Orihime called me and I turned to answer her" Rukia said. She wasn't about to tell him that she ignored him because he isn't popular. "So what's that" she said pointing to the black clothing bag in his hand.

"Oh this is the penguin suit Urahara picked and he wants me to wear it for measurement to fix it or something" Rukia smiled at him and he raised an eyebrow. "Go put it on"

"No"

"Yes"

"No"

"Ichigo Kurosaki if you don't go put that damn suit on I swear on everything right now I will put it on for you" Rukia said with her Byakuya inherited tone. Ichigo shivered at it and nodded. He groaned and walked to the door that said dressing room. Rukia followed him and looked around. There were some stalls with cream curtains in front of it. At the side were some black sofas and a plant next to it. "Go and change"

"Fine" Ichigo walked into the stall and pulled the curtain back. As he was taking off his shirt he smirked. Might as well have a little fun with her. "Hey Rukia"

"Yeah?" she answered sitting down on the very comfortable sofa.

"You wanna change me?"

"WHAT!" she said jumping back up to her feet. Her face was red and she could practically here the arrogant smirk on his face. "Just change" she said crossing her arms. Ichigo laughed and buttoned the black pants. He put on the red button up dress shirt but didn't button it. He wasn't done with his fun just yet. He pulled the black vest over the open shirt and smirked at his reflection. Even though he got skinny, the abs he got fighting his father still showed, even if a bit. Ichigo smiled and hung the tie around the collar but didn't tie it. "Are you done yet?"

"Almost but I need you to do something for me"

"What?" she asked a little on edge. When the curtain was drawn Rukia felt her breath hitch. Some invisible force must have shoved a quarter in her mouth because now she felt a lump in her throat.

"Button me up?" he said with a devious glint in his eyes. Rukia swallowed and nodded. She walked up to him and he closed the reaming gap. They were so close the tips of their shoes were touching. Rukia tried to steady her trembling hand and began to button from the bottom up.

When she made it to his upper chest her finger touched his cold skin and gasped at what she felt. It was bone. He had such thin skin and his bone was poking out. She stared at it for a moment before the radio above began to play some soft music knocking her out of her trance. Finishing the buttons she tied his black tie as well. Ichigo leaned down so he was almost at her level.

"One more thing" she looked at him questioningly. "Teach me how to dance" he admitted shyly. Rukia laughed at the blush on his face and nodded.

"Here take my hand" she said. They interlocked hands and she put her other hand on his shoulder. "No put your other hand on my waist"

"Uh…just don't go all bitch mode on me if I step on your feet" he said doing as she said. Rukia laughed once more and lead the way counting the steps.

"1,2,3…1,2,3…1,2,3…GOOD!" she said as they danced.

"Hey I'm pretty good at this" Ichigo said as they moved to the music.

"Because you had a great teacher!" Rukia said proudly. They laughed a bot and began prancing around the room like Charlie the Unicorn on drugs.

Urahara watched the scene unfold before him before smiling. He pulled the mini radio from his giant green sleeve and changed the station to another one.

Ichigo and Rukia heard the song change to a faster paced one. Without letting go of the hold on each other they laughed and pranced some more kicking their legs and laughing. Urahara smiled and walked back to the cash register.

"Rukia!" a name called in the fun aura turned the world for Ichigo and Rukia bitter. She let go of him and turned to see Renji, Hisagi, Toshiro, Momo, Orihime, and Rangiku watched them with stunned faces. "What are you doing with him?" Renji continued.

"I was teaching him how to dance" Rukia said honestly. She was cursing like a sailor in her mind. She had to think of something fast to save her ass.

"Why?" Orihime asked still eyeing Ichigo with hungry eyes. "Ichigo you look so cute! Why did you have to be gay!"

"I'm not gay!"

"Then why did you turn me down!"

"Because I-

"Am gay, we know. Rukia I don't want you around this lying freak anymore" Renji but in. Rukia nodded and without a second look walked over to where her friends were. "And it's thanks to you that we know he's gay so I'm not jealous. I just don't want you hanging out with that guy. He seems sketchy" Renji said like Ichigo wasn't in the room. Rukia face palmed. Her spot was blown.

"What it's because of her you guys think I'm gay?" Ichigo asked confused.

"Yeah and the text made me feel a whole lot better when you rejected me" Orihime said sadly.

"I don't understand…..you told them I was gay?" Ichigo asked Rukia who couldn't even look up at him.

Rukia felt the guilt running from her toes to her knees to stomach. It began welling up in her throat and when she looked up to say something there wasn't an orange haired teen standing there.

Ichigo didn't wait for an answer. He felt anger boil up inside of him. He stormed out to the cashier and slapped his credit card on the counter. Urahara looked up to say something but saw the look in his eye and handed it back to him.

"On the house" Ichigo nodded and took it back before walking out the front door. Ignoring all the cat calls from women and girls sending glances to him Ichigo walked out the mall and stormed his way home. Passing by-standards moved out his way in feat of getting trampled by Ichigo's walking or his dark aura. It was almost like Senna all over again.

"_Ichigo I love you" Senna smiled to her boyfriend who smiled back. He took her hand and began walking down the sandy beach front._

"_I love you too" Ichigo said blushing a little. She laughed at his cute face. "What are you laughing at?" he asked regaining her scowl. Senna tapped her chin to imply she was thinking._

"_You" before Ichigo could reply she took off and Ichigo tailed her grabbing her shoulders and pinning her below him on the sand. Some water flowed back and forth from under her. She was laughing and looked amazing. Ichigo smiled and kissed her on the lips. Smiling she responded._

Ichigo snapped out of the memory when he reached his front door. He unlocked it with his keys and walked in. Masaki was there staring at him with a wide smile on her face. She called for the rest of the family and they came down the stairs. Everyone looked at him with bright faces.

"Ichigo look at you!" Masaki said in tears. She walked up to him and hugged him tightly. Ichigo was confused with the sad looks on their faces. "You're going to look so handsome!" she cried into his vest.

"Wait what's with all the sad faces?" Ichigo asked. He was growing more worried by the second. He was about to ask again when Dr. Ikkaku came out from the living room with his own grim look. Ichigo peeled his mother off of him and looked at her. What was going on right now? Why was he here? She could read those questions in his eyes and cried even more but this time silently. "Mom what's going on?" when he got no answer he looked at Ikkaku and asked the same question.

"Why don't you come and sit down" he said with a stern but soft tone. Ichigo nodded and walked to the living room with his family behind him. He had a feeling this was not going to be good. Ichigo sat down on the couch with and his sisters climbed onto his lap and laid their heads on his chest. Masaki took the seat next to him and Isshin and Ikkaku sat across them. "Well I got back your tests from the lab today"

"Good, what do they say?" Ichigo asked. There was a pause and Ikkaku rubbed his bald head. He sighed and looked up at the orange headed boy.

"It seems the cancer has spread" he said finally. Masaki sobbed and Isshin went next to her and held the trembling body in his arms. "And rapidly. The chemo we gave you manage to stop it for a while in how far it got, which is why nothing happened to you within the days. But it has gotten much worse"

**Note: sorry this took a while to get out there but I was doing stuff. So I have High School on Thursday and I'm EXCITED! But sad because I'm a freshman and I won't know anyway. Do you know my campus has 4 High schools in it and 11 floors! AHHHH I CAN TELL IM GONNA GET LOST! : D anyways review! **


	5. Chapter 5

**Note: This chapter is dedicated to LeEldestHatter because this AWESOME reviewer sent me the most HILARIOUS review ever! OMG it was funny. Huh….well this is for you cause you're amazing and I want you to keep on reviewing. I LOVE YOU FOR THAT REVIEW. HIGHLIGHT OF MY DAY!**

**Ummm oh yes! Answer time!**

**My dear friend (hey how's it going?) **_**AkaBaka-chan: **_**I know it wasn't the part because I thought I would cut it off because it didn't flow with the story. Oh and I love you for your reviews. They are like what I look for to make my chapters better ^-^**

** CONSTRUCTIVE CRITISIM IS OKAY GUYS!**

**And for those reviewers who want to see Rukia in character, she does get IC between this chapter and the next. :D Excited? I know you are.**

**Ask, Wonder, Ponder, Think my readers. I will be happy to answer! ; )**

**One last thing, sorry for the late update because I wasn't at home and didn't have my laptop with me. And since school started Thursday, that should be expected because I don't get home until like 5 depending on the traffic that day. I will try my best to make them fast.**

**Well this is the one last thing for real, there is a strange pair in here, Zaraki and Nemu, it's nothing big and important so just go with it :D**

Chapter 5: Secret Friends and More Hospital Beds

"…How bad?" Ichigo asked keeping up that brave front while his sisters sobbed into his bony chest. He wanted the one to be held so badly right now but they came first. Ikkaku sat there solemn and solid. The pregnant silence cottoned the room and everyone held their breath in anticipation to the man's words.

"It's spread to the point in which we would have to start the radiation chemo" Masaki sobbed. Radiation chemotherapy was normally kept for cases of breaking point. "We could try the bone marrow transplant to see if it could Ichigo's body would respond to that. I would not normally try this method with cases like Ichigo because it can either slow down the growth of the cells or it could increase the rate."

"What! How could….so you're saying its either it helps me or kills me fucking faster!" Ichigo broke. He almost roughly but still carefully pulled his crying sisters off of him shocking them and his mother and father before walked over to Ikkaku. He picked the man up from his white button up dress shirt and bought him up face-to-face. "Do something about this Damnit! Don't just come here and tell me I have to go through all of this shit because you doctors aren't smart enough to make a cure for this. Why can't you do it? Huh! Answer me! Answer me god Damnit!" Ichigo said allowing his tears to slip free.

"Ichigo" he felt his father say behind him before placing a gentle hand on his son's shoulder. Ichigo looked up at Ikkaku with sorry eyes and the man nodded. Ichigo let his grip go and smoothed the man's collar. He sighed and looked back to his sister with the same apologetic eyes. "So what do you suggest we do Ikkaku? Take the risk or start with the Radio Chemo?" Isshin said.

"As a doctor I would suggest to try the bone marrow because it would be more effective if it works whereas the chemo would put you in more distress…"

"But as my longtime friend through childhood to a day like today" Isshin said.

"I suggest not taking the risk. Ichigo it'll be hard to deal with but it's better than taking the risk where the chance of it failing is harder. We're going to try out very best to have you make it through this and try to have a normal life. But I am telling you now it will take a lot of will and strength of the body and mind. The amount of times where people in your situation that make it past 18 but I want you to beat the odds"

"Will-_sniffle_-my son be able -_sniffle_-to graduate?" Misaki asked standing up and wiping her tears. She held her two daughters to her protectively in her arms.

"I can't say" Ikkaku said. He looked down at the ground and saw some drops of water. He looked back up to see Ichigo's tear stained face. "Hey kids you mind giving me a moment with your parents?" baldy asked. Ichigo nodded and walked over to Yuzu and Karin and took their hand leading them out to door.

"We're gonna go for some hot chocolate at the café down the street" Ichigo said. He slipped into the boots and jacket then helped his sisters do the same. "Be back in a little" when the door shut Masaki and Isshin walked in front of Ikkaku with worried faces.

"What's the-

"Has Ichigo ever cried in front of you guys?" Ikkaku cut in. He wanted to get this out no matter how rough it sounded. He had to let them know.

"No but why-

"Has he ever broken down or has he been the one to allow you to break down?" he continued. He didn't need their answers because he knew what it would be. "Ichigo Kurosaki has been the wall hit by cancer. His wall was broken but he built it back up just to help you build your own crumbling ones. As parents you should have been the one helping him build his wall. Which I'm sorry to say you never did. Ichigo was the one to comfort you guys. How about holding him and letting him cry for a change?" Ikkaku said the last sentence more as a whisper. Masaki looked down the ground where Ichigo stood before and saw the wet spots. Her head shot up to the bald doctor in the room and he nodded his head.

"Oh…my…Isshin we have to get him now" Masaki said on the verge of more tears but kept them in because Ichigo was more important.

"We'll do it when the twins are asleep, they don't need to see him like that" masaki nodded and watched as Ikkaku walked away after goodbyes were exchanged.

Ichigo closed the door to his house and walked down the street. Yuzu and Karin at one side each holding his hands. All that ran through his mind was that this might be his last snowy season. This might be the last time he can walk into the white blanket of frozen water with his sisters. No, he couldn't think about that now. He had to be strong if he wanted to get through this…if he got through this. Ichigo thought about school and how he would have to drop out.

After a few minutes of walking Ichigo rounded the corner and was at Kenpachi's Coffee shop. He opened the door and grimaced at the annoying door chimes. Those sounds were so infuriating to him. Looking around he noticed the place hadn't changed a bit. There were still six tables on each side that seated up to four each. There was still that jade green wall color and dark bamboo flooring that matched that of the counter top.

"Hey go find us some seats" Ichigo said to Yuzu and Karin who nodded and walked to the seat by the window so they could watch the snow. Ichigo walked up to the counter to find that long haired man smiling. "Hey Zaraki, it still defies the law of everything good and pure that you run a coffee shop"

"Well Ichigo, if you weren't a valued customer I'd show you the special answer I have to all stupid questions but since you are I'll tell you this, I run this place to pay the bills and it was my wife's idea"

"Oh yeah how is Nemu?" Ichigo asked as he fished for the wallet in his pocket, "Three hot chocolates" he added placing the 20 on counter.

"well we're fine and gimme a minute" he said disappearing into the back. Ichigo shuck the image of that 'human' with Nemu and walked back to the table with his sisters. He sat down and listened to them discuss which was better, the Chappy movie on late or the soccer game showing at the same time. He smiled at them and looking out the window to have his face drop. The annoying chimes rang through his red from the cold weather ears and a bunch of teens walked on. Ichigo suddenly felt a dark aura fall over his head as he watched Rukia under Renji's arm walk with her friends.

"Some friend she was" he muttered hoping they could get their drinks without being spotted and leave in peace. So far so good because they didn't seem to notice Ichigo. They took over two tables by the counter on the opposite side.

"ICHIGO DRINKS ARE READY!" Kenpachi roared out and said carrot top grimaced. Oh yeah, life was _not _fair to him at all. Ichigo muttered incoherent words and stood up and walked over to the counter. He picked up the gray holder with the cups and shot the man behind the counter an evil glare mixed with a scowl. Kenpachi looked at him with wonder before Ichigo shuck his head and sent a _half_ apologetic glance. With the holder in hand he walked back to his sister's ignoring the glares he got.

"Buying drinks for the gay fest?" Renji asked and most of the group laughed. "Oh you're here with little girls? Babysitting was always a girl's job but since you're halfway there it's okay" he laughed some more. Renji was about to say something else when a voice stopped him. Literally.

"Stop Renji" Rukia said surprising everyone, including herself, at the table. "He's not gay and even if he was you have no right to make fun of him" she continued finding her voice. It was her fault this started and the least she could do is help him out.

"Come on Yuzu and Karin, let's get home" Ichigo said without looking back at the group of teens.

"Ichi-ni, what's gay?" Yuzu asked as they jumped out the chairs.

"Happy, it means very happy" Ichigo said. It was the truth, gay did mean happy but that wasn't the meaning Renji and his idiot friends were going for. Though they didn't need to know that. Opening the door and hearing that god for saken chimes again Ichigo walked back out into the snow.

After a minute or two, Karin picked up a ball of snow and threw it at Yuzu's back. Ichigo laughed when Karin did and felt two hits on their back. They turned to Yuzu to find her laughing innocently. They were going to continue their fight when Ichigo's phone rang. He pulled it out and answered it with his free hand, since the other had hot chocolate.

"Hey…..yeah we just left….okay sure….yeah…..bye" he said before shoving the phone back in his pocket. He turned to his sister red faces and smiled. "Mom said dinner was ready, so last one back has to do the dishes" he said.

"But I want to do them!" Yuzu called as she tried to keep up with her long legged brother and soccer playing sister.

Rukia felt a sharp pang on her stomach when Ichigo left without looking at her once. She figured the two girls were his sisters. Pouting she looked at her hands which were folded on the table before her. She hated the way her insides felt and with Renji's outburst, Rukia had to say something.

"Rukia why did you defend him? You were the one who told us he was gay" Orihime asked.

"Well he isn't gay and I said it as a joke to make you feel better. I mean come on you were sulking when he turned you down. But that doesn't mean I should have said that"

"So you're friends with him? I knew there was something going on between you two since I saw you dancing in the dressing room" Renji said getting angry. He pounded his fist on the table and everyone stared at him. "That girlfriend stealing bastard, I'm gonna beat the shit out of him in school" he seethed.

"RENJI! He didn't steal your girlfriend, geez. Why is it wrong to be friends with a guy? I'm friends with Toshiro, Hisagi, and Keigo. I don't see you threatening them" Rukia said pissed.

"Well because they are my friends and are cool. I know that they won't pull a fast one on me"

"And Ichigo won't either. He's a nice kid and didn't do anything wrong so I want all of you to quit making fun of him" Rukia said to the group.

"Fine, if he's a friend of yours" Orihime said, "Plus he's not gay, so it must be something else keeping him from me. Rukia since you're his friend why don't you ask him if he really doesn't like me"

"Well I'm not that sure he's my friend" Rukia said solemnly. She couldn't blame him though. She got so caught up in her popularity, she behaved very rudely to him. "I hope he can forgive me" she thought out loud but it was a whisper and went unheard by the gang.

**Note: SORRY! *dodges bricks* I'M SO SORRY THIS IS LATE! BUT HERE! JUST FOR THAT I'LL TRY AND GET THE NEXT CHAPTER UP WITHIN THE NEXT THREE DAYS :D. oh and school was really fun! Once again shout out to LeEldestHatter. This chapter was dedicated to you! OH and Bonnie when you read this…..sup?**


	6. Chapter 6

**Note: OMG THIS IS LIKE A WEEK LATER I KNOW. But with school and homework it's hard to write. Plus I'm super sick right now but am writing because I don't want you guys to wait any longer. Gosh my head is screaming at me to sleep so if this is short or not the best I'm sorry. I LOVE YOU ALL FOR READING!**

**To my reviewers, THANKS FOR YOU'RE AWESOME REVIEWS! :D **

Chapter 6: I Just Want To Be There For You

Ichigo panted a bit as he opened the door with a smile on his face. His sisters were still running up to the door while he opened it. Slipping off the snow covered shoes, Ichigo put them to the side. He was about to un zip his jacket when he was smothered with his mother. He sighed inwardly at another codling session with his mother. He wrapped his hands around her back and waited for the tears and sobs. After a moment they didn't come. He felt her whisper to him.

"I think it's time I let you cry Ichigo….." she said quietly. Masaki couldn't wait until the girls were asleep because it would just be them before him. But not now. Now, it was all about Ichigo. His gripped tightened on her back and buried his head in her hair. She was always shorter than them. "I just want to be there for you. Now. When you have to start treatment. And when you get past this" she said with a quiet and caring voice. Ichigo's body went a bit limp in his mother's arms and smiled into her fruit smelling hair.

"Arigato okasan" he spoke in Japanese. His native tongue taking its own mind into control. Ichigo felt himself getting lighter and allowed the salty streams to wet Masaki's hair. He played her words over and over in his head.

"_And when you get past this"_

After a few minutes in the comforting hug Ichigo's mind spun off. The sentence started bugging him. His brain was racking with the feeling that Ichigo could not explain. Pushing it behind his mind, he pulled back from her hug with a smile on his face. A genuine smile. One that reached his eyes and light them up a bit.

"What's going on mom?" Yuzu asked. Masaki pulled back and looked at her daughter.

"I'm comforting Ichigo" she said plainly. This time, Ichigo was put and kept first. Masaki turned back to her son and smiled at him. "So what do you want for dinner?"

"I thought you said dinner was ready" he scowled halfheartedly.

"That was just to get you through the front door" she smiled at him. Isshin laughed and ruffled the hair of his son.

On one side Ichigo was eager to get the day over with while on the other side he didn't want it to come. He sighed and walked to his last class of the day. He had his first day of Radio Chemo today after school. And that thought alone was a bitch.

Shaking thoughts out of his head Ichigo walked to his last class of the day, Art. Opening the door he sighed and sat in his seat by the window. Ichigo fought the urge to walk out of class to get the stupid chemo over with already. Art was his favorite subject so that was a wasted thought.

"Hey" the one word knocking him out of his thoughts. He turned to the direction it came in and saw none other than Rukia.

"Hi" he said bitterly. She sighed and sat in the seat next to him. "You're sitting next to me? What are your friends gonna say?" he looked around and noticed they weren't there. "Oh so no ones here to see you talk to me, that's why"

"No that's not it Ichigo"

"Then why? Scratch that why'd you do what you did in the first place?" he asked with the hurt audible

"I don't know…."

"Liar" he said looking at her fiddle her fingers on the desk. "You do know why"

"I…..yeah, I do" she admitted. "I was so caught up in the popularity and having friends that I hurt you. I was acting like someone other than myself and I knew I was doing it. But I just couldn't stop because it felt nice to have friends. But when I was with you, I was myself again and-

"And as soon as you saw you popularity at stake the 'other' Rukia came out?" he finished for her.

"Yeah, I guess so. But Ichigo I want you to know that I'm really sorry for everything!" she said

"Rukia I-

"No, I want to apologize correctly. Ichigo I am really sorry for the way I acted to you"

"It's-

"And I want us to be friends!" Getting frustrated with her Ichigo covered her mouth with his hand. He noticed the softness of her lips against his skin.

"Rukia?"

"Hm?" she managed through a covered mouth.

"Shut up. I forgive you midget" Ichigo felt the smile on his hand and let go. "I'll be friends with you. Because I know how much it'll mean to you to be friends with me. I mean you were practically begging me" he said arrogantly.

"Shut it Kurosaki"

"Hm…no. I don't think I want to midget"

"Why you-

"CLASS! PAIR UP AND START DRAWING A MIXED ART PIECE!" sensei called from the front of the classroom. Ichigo looked at Rukia with a raised eyebrow and she nodded her yes.

"So what do you want to draw?" Rukia asked.

"ATTENTION ALL STUDENTS!" came on the loudspeaker. "WE WILL BE HAVING AN EARLY DISMISSAL BECAUSE THERE WAS A GAS LEAK IN THE CAFATERIA. PLEASE EXIST THE BUILDING. WE DO NOT KNOW HOW LONG IT WILL TAKE THE FIZ BUT UNTIL THEN, YOU ARE ON VACATINO!" there were cheers before a monster storm of teachers and students running out. Ichigo scowled.

"Damn now I have to go to chemo earlier" he said to himself as he walked out.

"Want me to come with you?" Rukia asked appearing next to him as they walked out the door. "I can give you a ride there!" she said while poking his arm. He looked down at her, literally, and nodded. Together they walked to her black Mercedes Benz.

Ichigo held his stomach and allowed the rest of his stomach to be puked out into a garbage can. He groaned and allowed himself to fall back into the bed. Jeez, that had to be the fucking worst.

"_Okay Ichigo just lie down on this" the nurse said. Ichigo nodded and followed his instructions. The bed he was laying on began to move into the Star Wars looking chamber. He groaned at how slow it was going. Finally when he was inside he could hear his father yelling._

"_YOU CAN DO IT SON!" _

"_Bast-_

_Ichigo didn't finish his grumbling before the red light came on and blinded him for some time._

"Shit" he said rolling over in his hospital bed. Just thinking about it gave him more pain. He felt his body itching to throw up again but he didn't have anything left in him system to do so. And the best part was Ichigo got to do this all over again next week!

"Hey Ichigo, how you feeling?" he heard Rukia ask. His parents had just left to go shower and come back. Since Yuzu and Karin had after school they didn't have to pick them up until 5. Ichigo turned over to see a smiling Rukia.

"Bloody fantastic" he said bitterly to her. She laughed at him.

"That's good, I thought you would have felt bad after going through chemo"

"I hate you"

"I know you do"

"Midget"

"Strawberry"

"Bitch"

"Ass"

"Just get me something to eat" he said dropping the argument.

Ichigo 0 Rukia 1

"Sure thing strawberry!" she said. Rukia skipped out the room and asked a nurse for something for Ichigo. After a moment she came back with a tray filled with assorted foods covered up to keep warm. She sat it down on his lap and bought the chair closer to the bed before sitting in it. "Now wemember wilittle Ichigo, don't make any spillys!" she mocked him.

"hahaha" Ichigo said dryly. He opened the first covered bowl to find some miso soup. He smirked, it was his favorite. He tried picking up the spoon but his hand trembled with lack of strength. "Damn it all" he said when he spilled his first attempt to eat on the while sheets.

Rukia laughed at him loudly. She pointed a finger accusingly at him, "Didn't I say no sillys!" she laughed some more. He was about to retort when she picked up the spoon filled it with some soup and shoved it into his mouth. "There ya go!" she said while he enjoyed his meal while giving her a menacing look. She picked up another bite and swirled it around a little. "Open up the tunnel!" she cooed at him.

"Fuck off Kuchiki" he said but still gladly ate to food. After about 10 minutes he was done with his food Rukia was still there.

"What do you do when you're locked up in here?" Rukia asked getting bored. She looked around and found nothing interesting to do. "How did you now go mad all alone with nothing to do?"

"Because I had something to do"

"And what was that?"

"Well I read"

"Nerd"

"Listened to music"

"Weirdo"

"And hung out with my friend" he said ignoring her comments.

"You were able to leave?" she asked.

"No but I was allowed visitors"

"So you did have friends? Where are they now?"

"They don't come anymore"

"Why not?"

"Why do you care?"

"Cause I'm bored"

"Well I'm bored but you don't see me asking personal questions"

"Well then how about we play 20 questions?"

"Fine"

"What's your favorite color?"

"…I don't have one" he admitted. "Colors and colors. What about you?"

"Purple"

"You're such a girl." She was about to yell at him when cut in. "What's your biggest dream?"

"…..to get a book published" she said. "And yours?"

"To complete my list"

"List?"

"Bucket list. I saw that movie the month before I was diagnosed with cancer" he said. Rukia detected the sadness in his voice and she looked to the ground. The awkward silence was getting suffocating until the door opened to revel Hisana. "Hey Ms. Kuchiki, what's up?" Ichigo asked.

"Well I was leaving and I'm here to pick Rukia up" she smiled. "how ya' holding up?"

"Pretty good, and the best part if I get to do it all over next week" he said. Hisana laughed and smiled a bit wider.

"Well when you get through it, it'll be worth it" Ichigo forced a smile that only Rukia saw through. "Well let's get going Rukia, you can visit Ichigo tomorrow."

"Okay"

"Meet me out by the car when you're done!" she said and walked out.

"So I'll see you in school tomorrow"

"I'm not going oh so smart one"

"Why?

"Um…I just went through chemo….I'll be lucky if I can go to the door without help by tomorrow"

"Oh…well then I'll come by tomorrow!" she said cheerily.

"I won't hold my breath"

"Hey that's mean!" she said pouting a bit. Ichigo couldn't help but laugh at her antics. She got frustrated and hit his arm.

"OW! Damn it you midget!" he said while rubbing his hurt limb. "Go before I have to call security on your tiny self" he said halfheartedly. Rukia laughed and nodded. "Goodnight midget"

"Goodnight Ichigo" they smiled at each other before Rukia left.

Ichigo pulled out a pen and paper from the shelf next to him and began to write.


	7. Chapter 7

**Note: When I was sick it was AWFUL I had school. My eyes were so red and puffy people thought I was doing drugs…..that I don't even want to go into. Thanks for the reviews, story alerts, and favorites. SORRY FOR THE TWO WEEK WAIT. I AM TRULY SORRY.**

**I do not own Bleach, The Bucket List, A Walk to Remember, and any other thing that may be mentioned that I can't remember due to illness and brain malfunction xD **

**Fluff alert! Ichigo and Rukia will get together soon and it's all part of the story. Okay cause their romance was only the first part of the plot!**

**Angst alert! Some bad news in this Chappie…..**

**OH OH OH if your name is: kage-no-asagiri LOOK HERE:D**

**Sorry….I didn't really….do…the…best research on cancer….sorry. When I'm done I'll go back and revise based on true facts. When I looked up this I didn't get as much as I wanted so I kinda sorta made it up along that way. Don't be mad, sorry about the unrealistic-ness D:**

**Kids and people older than me, I do not know how this cancer things works so just allow the FICTION in the fanFICTION take over your scientific minds :D **

Chapter 7: Watching Us Die Slowly

Ichigo yawned as he closed his eyes and leaned against the locker. It had been a hell of a day for him. He wasn't even supposed to come to school today because his body needed resting, but Ichigo didn't want to fail. He closed the locker slowly but groaned when the metal clank was heard. Why did he have to have metal lockers anyway?

"Ichigo!" another groan escaped the teens lips as he heard an ear splitting voice coming his way. He turned to see a bouncing Orihime Inoue coming his way. "Hey Ichigo how are you?"

"Hn" Why did he remind himself of some chicken ass haired guy? Anyway….

"I'm fine today. Hey I was wondering if you want to come with me to the mall after school! I still have to find a dress for the dance and I need a guy's opinion. Now that you bought up the dance" When did Ichigo bring up the dance? "Who are you going with?"

"No one"

"SO AM I! Want to go together?"

"Not really"

"Okay I'll let you think about it and tell me your answer later!" she smiled and bounced away leaving a trail of rainbows and unicorns. Did she have marshmallows in her ear and not her anything Ichigo said?

"Sounds like someone got himself a Grade a stalker" Ichigo smiled at the voice and turned to see Rukia holding a pink Chappy designed binder in her hand. She had her endless pools of violet staring at him with that annoying and stubborn bang landing on her nose.

"Why do you sound happy for that?"

"Did I ever say I was?"

"But you don't deny it"

"Oh aren't we the smart one now?"

"I didn't spend countless boring nights in the hospital with my head in the textbook for nothing"

"I see, come on let's get to class!" Ichigo and Rukia walked down to global class in a comfortable silence.

.

As the school day came to a close Ichigo sighed in relief. Ichigo had spent the day getting a hole bored into his head by Renji. And adding salt to the wound whenever he said no to Inoue she ignored it and kept on asking. He was starting to think the gay rumor was a _good_ thing.

He walked out the front doors of the school and was stopped with three people in front of him. Renji, Rukia, and Orihime stood blocking the sun from Ichigo's scowling face. Can they _ever_ give him a break?

"Come on Ichigo! The mall is waiting!" Orihime chirped.

"I said no to you Orihime. No I don't want to go to the mall and the dance with you"

"So how are we getting to the mall guys?" Orihime asked. Cue Ichigo's face-palm. The four walked into Renji's car and closed the doors behind them. Thankfully Ichigo sat in the front with Renji and the girls sat in the back.

"Kurosaki, stay away from Rukia, she's mine"

"Jealous Abarai?"

"Of you, I don't think so. I just don't want her hanging around someone like you"

"And you would be better company?"

"Yes I am"

"I beg to differ"

"What does that mean?"

"Oh god" Ichigo didn't feel like talking to the oversized pineapple. He stared out the window and passed the skating rink. It was number 43 for him. He wondered if he would ever get it all done….

"Ichigo WE'RE HERE!" Orihime practically jumped out the window when they pulled into a parking space. Ichigo sighed and climbed out his side of the car at the same time as Rukia.

"Is she always that….loud?"

"Nice way of saying annoying"

"Thanks for noticing"

"How could I not?" Ichigo and Rukia chuckled a bit and felt Renji staring them down along with a jealous Orihime. "So you still have your suit?"

"Yeah it's home and what about you?"

"I don't have anything, if I did I would be home right now"

"Where I want to be"

"You want to be in my home?" Rukia asked teasingly. Ichigo fought the faint blush on his pale cheeks.

"Shut it midget, I want to me in _my _own home"

"If you say so…." Rukia chuckled a bit and they walked into the dress shop. Ichigo took a seat on the couch and waited for one of the two girls, preferably Rukia, walked out the dressing room. Each girl had just walked in, spotted colors, and picked up about 25 dressed. A curtain was pulled back and Orihime stepped out in a shirt white dress with gold glitter all over it. It only came down to her knees and was skin tight. The top had a low cut and was showing her assets a bit too much.

"How do I look Ichigo?"

Like a hoe. But Ichigo wouldn't say it out loud….at least to her face.

"Like you're going to a club"

"AW! THANK YOU!" she said like he said she was the most gorgeous thing he ever saw. Ichigo was about to go join Renji outside when the other curtain was pulled and his breath was knocked out his system. Feeling blood threatening to rush down his nose Ichigo shuck his head.

There Rukia stood in a long midnight blue dress with a modestly low cut front and a deep cut in the back. The fabric's cut stopped on her lower back showing off creamy flawless skin.

"Oh…my….." was all he could say. Rukia blushed at the way he was ogling her.

"So how do I look?"

Fucking sexy.

"Ah….You….I….um…..beautiful" he whispered the last part and only he could hear it. It felt so right coming out his mouth. Like his voice was there just to call this short and infuriating girl beautiful. Words could not describe how she looked. So he played it safe. "You look okay for a midget" her smiled turned into a sad scowl before walking into the dressing room. Orihime held a deadly aura over her that both parties seem to have missed, and not cared about. She stomped back into her stall and Renji walked back in.

"So what'd I miss?" Ichigo smirked at the thought of Renji not seeing Rukia like she was.

"Nothing much"

.

Ikkaku sat in his rolling chair and looked over some files of patients. He wanted to throw the god damn filing cabinet out of the window but decided against it. A knock on the door saved him from more paper. He sighed in relief and put the paper down. He leaned back into his chair and looked at the door.

"Come in" there was a moment's pause before the door opened the revel Lisa Yadomaru. Ikkaku smiled at her and pointed at the chair before his desk. She pushed up her glasses and walked in holding a manila folder in her slender arm. "And what brings you here Lisa?"

"I have the test results for Kurosaki" the smiled dropped on the baldies face. He stretched his hand out and she handed the crisp folder to him. Slowly, he resettled into the chair. Pulled the folder open he slid out the fresh and still warm white paper. Ikkaku put the paper down on his desk and leaned above it. He scanned the top formalilites and went down to the bold letters. One set stuck out the most.

**Cancer Control Effect: **_**1**_** 2 3 4**

**Cancer's Strength: 1 2 3 **_**4**_

**Possible Treatments: n/a**

**Estimated time left: **_**less than a year at the most **_was scribbled next to the categories. Ikkaku sighed and allowed the result to fall to the desk once again.

"Nothing we can do now?"

"No sir"

"Do we have to put him _there_?"

"Soon, if not there could be the chance of the cancer doing it's harm when he has no medical attention around him"

"This shit bites"

"Like a bitch" Ikkaku was taken back at her language but knew it was because she cared. Ichigo Kurosaki would die, and there was nothing they could do but sit back and watch it happen.

.

The phone rang a few times before Isshin Kurosaki picked it up. He plopped down on the sofa and pressed the talk button. He held the silver device to his ear and spoke.

"Kurosaki residence!" came his sing-song voice.

"_Isshin it's Ikkaku_…" the happy aura vanished within the conversation.

At that same moment the door opened to revel Masaki, Karin, and Yuzu. Masaki's smile dropped when she saw the seriously sad look on her husband's face. The phone dropped from his hand to the floor along with a few tears.

**Note: the next chapter will be better i promise. This was crap. I hated writing it. It's just I had some things planned out and when I finally got time to sit down and write I couldn't remember anything. That's why I am so pissed at myself. I'll do my best to up load by Friday cause it was such a long wait for this suck ass chapter. ANYWAYS please try not flame me and review telling me how bad I already know this was…hope you'll still read cause I'll make the next one better and longer. **

**Thanks for understanding. **


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